Hidden
by Davan
Summary: A relationship between a man and a women are the most treasured of all life's jewels, and sometimes, it’s the ones we don’t expect, or understand, that take our breath, and our hearts, away from us.


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Author Notes: There are really not that many Naomi/Brad fics out in Zoid land…I look for them, and I treasure each and every one of them…but really, there aren't that many. So I thought I would try my hand at a little one shot… it's a lot shorter than my other one's, and I am not quiet sure if I will write a sequel sense I am working on the next chapter of Zoid Wars right now…but it may come along. *shrug* Tell me what you think of it, and all that.

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Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Zoids, or its characters, I am just borrowing them for my own use.

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Dedication: For all you Brad and Naomi fans!

A relationship between a man and a women are the most treasured of all life's jewels, and sometimes, it's the ones we don't expect, or understand, that take our breath, and our hearts, away from us.

~~~

She wasn't sure exactly where she had screwed up, but as she watched the umpteenth boyfriend walk of her life, she couldn't help but feel that she was doing something wrong. That this was her fault. If had been a little more giving here, a little more careful there, she wouldn't be standing here crying over what she had lost. Then again what was life without its risks?

She was perhaps one of greatest snipers too ever grace Planet Zi, and she knew it. Of course, the only person who perhaps had a chance of defeating her on a level ground, was a cocky, redheaded, trigger-happy young woman. Who just happened to be the sister of her teammate! That was, of course, if the women ever learned how to actually pilot the thing to its full potential right now, she didn't stand much of a chance. 

'_The idiot,_' she mentally spat at the man who had just stormed out. He had thought that Leon was standing in between them, and that was the furthest thing from the truth. She had no feelings for Leon, not like that, he was her brother, and partner on the battlefield, but nothing else. For her heart had long ago been given to another.

She had not truly come to understand that until just recently, and it had cost her another round of heartache, not for the man she had just lost, but for the man she never thought she could have.

Of course, she had a hard enough time to admit it to herself, much less to him. She had done the female thing, something she abhorred, and made passing comments to him and his team, but never anything as drastic as asking him out for a cup of coffee. For beyond those few comments, she, Naomi Fluegel, was a shy person.

She played off the tough chick thing well, and could talk trash with the best of them, goad anyone, especially Leena, but actually come out straight out and ask a man out for dinner or coffee? 

Never!

Her courage ended their and her tough outer shell only extended so far. Inside she was emotionally weak as the rest of the sex that she belonged to. She had her own cares, and her own concerns, who didn't? She was only a woman after all.

She was not some idle, or someone who had sealed off all her emotions as people liked to think. People she just had a hard time with, she always had. Which was why the rumors had erupted, she paid them little head. Then again a man had never truly tried to win her over, instead they made up their own little excuses for themselves, when their charm and skills ended, and she was still not theirs. Which was why she was said to be a cold bitch, a person who did nothing for anyone else unless it brought her benefit. They had never taken the time to get past her first shell, the also liked to say she was gay, since in her early years she had taken on female recruits to serve as a distraction in battle. People it seemed would do anything for their only personal goal.

Now of course, their favorite pastime was to inform everyone of how she had slept with Leon to get him on her team, he was to good for her otherwise, and yet in the next breath they would declare how damn good she was with a gun. 

Rubbing her hand over her head she sighed softly, people needed to come up with a different pastime, rumors were getting annoying. Like the ones they fed people about a certain pilot in her life. According to them, he was much like her, cool in battle, not caring what happened to anyone as long as he got paid. They also said that he would do nothing for anyone unless he was paid. She didn't believe them.

Yes he was mercenary, but not all mercenaries were bad, so they didn't really have a point in attacking that aspect of him. In fact most of the mercenaries were the best combatants around. They had to be, or else how would they live? Her brother had been one, well before he was killed. Her fist closed into a tight bundle at her side, someone had decided that he was to good, so they had taken him out. Leaving her alone, again.

Which was why before Leon had entered her life she had fought alone. Who wanted the risks? She had learned as a child that anyone she got close to either died, or would leave her. It was a hard lesson for a five-year-old to grasp, but she had done it. She and Leena Torros shared a part of a background, she had no mother either, but she had never been as lucky as the other Gun Sniper pilot had not when it came to matters of a family.

Her own mother had died when she was but five, yes she still had one memory of the woman who had given birth to her, but it was not a happy one. She could still remember it with stunning clarity. A man standing over her mother as he rained blow after blow upon the small woman, screaming at the top of his lungs.

'_Move out of the way, the brat is going to get what she deserves,_' that voice still haunted her nightmares. It had also been the last time she had seen her mother alive, at least from what she could remember. All she knew was that the woman had had a beautiful singing voice, and she had smelled like cinnamon. She could only guess at whom the man had been, her father, maybe. But she would never know, and didn't want to know. Yes, out of the two women who competed for top Sniper on Zi, Leena Torros had all the luck, but she had better aim. 

Memories had never been enough for her, though, and their mysteries haunted her. So she had banished most of them from her, taken them away from her perfect memory. That was one gift she thanked the deities of Zi for, her memory.

She had a strange memory, which took in details and facts, and laid them before her, showing her the best possible route. Which was why not many Zoid Pilots lasted very long in her presence. She could actually predict their moves, at least, when she had a gun in her hands, and they were in her line of scope. But not even a beautiful mind, or memories, could take away her feelings of being alone.

Oh sure she had Leon, she noted with a dry chuckle, and he had quickly broken down every wall she had ever caste up. Becoming her family, the only piece of the giant jigsaw puzzle that was her life that she that matched. He was the only part that connected, at least besides her Gun Sniper. He was her family, the only part she claimed. Yet, she still wanted more.

She wanted someone to hold her, to love her, and treasure her. It was her dream to marry a man who treated her like she was a priceless jewel, and showed her the love that she had been lacking in the rest of her life. A man whom she could love and respect back someone who she wanted to give children to. Someone who would protect her even though she didn't need it, or ask for it. Someone she could give herself to, without any qualms.

Her equal. 

That would be hard to come by, impossible even. She didn't believe in love at first sight, attraction yes, but love no. Which was why they said she was an ice queen, and whoever she came into contact with would be burnt and ripped to shred but the coldness of her own heart. That was what happened when you let an idiot take you on a date, things got messy.

One man had stolen everything she had to give though, her heart, her soul, and a silent dedication and he had done it with one movement of his Zoid. 

She would never forget that night, or the feel of his strong arms wrapping around her, and his body shielding her, protecting her smaller form from harm. It had been the most intoxicating few moments of her life. She had felt safe, as the bandits flying around her threatened to bring down an end to her life, she had felt secure. For in those crucial moments something inside of her had clicked, and she had known with a clarity that he would let nothing happen to her, while he was around. She had wanted a repeat! Not of the danger, but the of the feelings he had stirred within in her for the first time in what seemed to her, a lifetime. Yet she had been to scared to approach him, and her passing comments had gotten her now where, she was chicken, deep inside, scared of what would happen if she screwed up, and he shunned her like everyone else. 

So she had turned away, and started dating men who knew of her reputation and had wanted to try anyway. It had gotten her nothing.

There were many people who speculated about her and Leon's relationship, and all of her latest attempts at life, had been high bidders on that list. They had been the worst, spreading roomers that the two of them were a secret couple. For all she cared they could get into a match with her Gun Sniper, and loose, horribly. They meant nothing to her, and why they thought they could get at her like that…they were all idiots. Ants her had no bearing on her life. Leon was her brother, her lover he would never be.

They were far too much alike anyway. Calm and cool under fire, and in the battle, and the few arguments that they had actually given into had been more like calm debates than anything. There passions were directed other places, not at each other. 

A closer friend, a better listener, and a more perfect teammate she would never find elsewhere. They were a well working machine, on the battlefield. It was almost as if they would read each other's minds, as they moved, and fought in a battle. As they seemed to sense each other's thoughts, and anticipate each other's actions. They could pick apart a team and know what the other one was going to do to get that team down before it even happened. It was perfection. As they clashed with the other teams they did so with ruthlessness that was un-matched, and un-stoppable. They completed each other, day and night, just not in bed. 

He was her best friend, not husband materiel he had never been that type for her. In her world she needed someone stronger, who could beat her on the battlefield, and protect her world. 

So far the only one she had found who could even come close to filling her description, well he was off limits. A snort escaped from her lips and she plopped down on the couch in her and Leon's living room and pulled a blanket around her shoulders to fight off the chill. That was how life went at times. It seemed to always be going against her, never for her. Of course she had gotten Leon, but that was beside the point. 

For all the men around her were babies, little boys trying to get their ultimate goal, S-Class, and they had thought-most of them-that they could use her to get that. Everyone one of them were children, in all their shapes and sizes, so what had promoted them to even try? For now that she had a reputation, she had to protect it. 

Especially since she and Leon were not going to get beaten out again, with the Blitz team already in Class-S, well it would be fun to see what she and Leon could do. The only competition they had was the lightening team, as of right then. And she didn't have one wit of respect, or fear of them. She had handled their type of Zoid before, and she was looking forward to beating them out.

"Naomi you all right?" Leon's voice rang throughout the living room, as he walked in, his expression concerned. She figured he had either seen the bastard who had just left, or saw the front door, which she was sure, was hanging from its hinges. Then again, he could have seen both.

"Ya," she said with a nod, curling closer to the sides of the couch to protect her warmth, and to give him some room to sit down.

"It was me again wasn't it," he said with a sigh, plopping down next to her, his features solemn as he stared at her. 

"Among other things," she replied softly.

"You love him don't you?" was the soft question. "And all your plans to forget him just aren't working, are they."

Naomi looked up, and realized that he knew, it wasn't her most carefully guarded secret, not with him anyway, but she had never hinted at how deep her feelings actually ran. She nodded there was really nothing else she could do.

He reached over and pulled her into a warm hug, just holding her, as she cried silent tears, tears she had never known she was shedding. 

~~~

It had been one week since her encounter with the latest failure of a boyfriend, and she and Leon were once again in the most comfortable place in the world for her. They were in a Zoid battle, but not just any battle on no he was in it, on the opposite team. As they had challenged them to defend their leaders stolen honor. An honor that had apparently been stolen by her, rolling her eyes she took in the terran, were they just plain stupid? The place was riddled with caves, cliffs and it was pretty much a snipers dream field. 

They probably had some big secret plan cooked up their sleeves, but that meant little to her. A small smirk played across her lips as she watched the judge hit the ground a few miles from her.

"This is now a Zoid battle field," he started with his normal speech. That monologue was a big comfort to her battered emotions, though to look at her cool and calculated features one would never had known, or noticed. 

"Leon, I found my spot…"

"Fine, you taking him?" they both knew who him was, and since neither really felt the need to say his name, the were just referring to him as him. The little bastard!

Naomi nodded, before finding adjusting her Gun Sniper, and smiling at the all to familiar control slide across her fingers. Oh yes this was why she was out here, battling it all away. 

So people could understand what Zoid battling was all about, the prize money was an extra benefit. The honor, the codes, the friendships, the challenges, it was all a piece of life, her life, and she would never change that. 

Sighting along her gun's rifle she grinned softly, yep he was a dead duck, a moment later her shots rang true as she moved from one place to another, taking out the Zoids that happened to fall into her line of shot. It was pretty much as easy as taking candy from a baby, she could practically taste the prize money. Which had been up graded to about five times the normal amount, just to make sure that she and Leon entered the battle. She smirked; she would have done it for none, if it meant teaching the little boy a lesson.

"Leon all done up here, you?" She demanded this battle was a joke, even more so than the battle Harry Champ had challenged them to last week. 

She watched as the Blade Liger moved easy through the terran, his Blades sliding through the other Zoid's armor. "Yep, all done, let's get out of here, this wasn't even a battle." His tone was slightly disgusted as he shook his head, and Naomi nodded.

"Good target practice," she agreed. All the while ignoring the outraged shouts and curses from the people below her. 

Idiots.

~

Naomi sighed softly, as she pulled her blanket closer; it was always so cold in the base at night. She didn't have the heart to tell Leon, especially since he was always burning up. 

"Naomi, I got to head to town to get a part I need for the Liger, you wanna go?" His questioned, his head poking into the room. 

Naomi shook her head, "No thanks, I will just stay here for the night, you coming back tonight?"

"Depends on how late I am out…"

She nodded before waving him off her attention returning to the TV in front of her, they were re-running the Blitz teams battle from today, and she didn't want to miss anything. 

She didn't know how long she stayed there, routed to the spot watching Brad's shadow fox whip around the screen. She was slightly disgusted with Leena's Gun Sniper but the girl knew how to handle it…even if she did waste too much ammunition. Bit's Liger moved with its usual perceptiveness across the battlefield, and before she knew it, the battle was over. Sighing softly she stood up, her blanket still wrapped around her, and turned of the TV when she heard a knock at the door. 

A small groan escaped her lips, and she sighed softly. Who would be calling at this time at night? Walking to across the base she opened the door and what she saw caused her to blink, with surprise, and astonishment.

"Brad?" she breathed, confusion flashing across her features, as she stared at the gorgeous man in front of her. His arms crossed across his chest in his normal fashion, as he stared down at her, his face un-readable.

"Naomi," he acknowledged, causing a slight shiver to run down her frame, and something else she couldn't quiet make herself identify.

"I am sorry Brad, Leon just left a few minutes ago," she said with a shrug. He had stopped by before to see the other man, the two of them had a pretty fast friendship, and she could only guess that that was what he was there for.

"May I come in?" he questioned, his tone hesitant, but firm.

She blinked, in confusion, but nodded, swinging the door wider her brows flying upward. What was he doing?

"Thank you, but don't worry about it, I didn't come here to see Leon, I came here to see you."

Naomi could only gape at his back, her mouth working silently as that single phrase repeated over and over in her shocked brain, '_Thank you, but don't worry about it, I didn't come here to see Leon, I came here to see you.'_

It was perhaps…a start…


End file.
